Kristin Hannah: I've got a great idea for my next book. It’s a story about a family who leaves the Dust Bowl during the Depression and travels to California where they face hardships and fight against prejudice.

Editor: Um, isn't that just like John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath?

Kristin Hannah: Yes, but my version will be different in several small ways and I won't even mention Steinbeck in the Acknowledgments!

Editor: Well, it's not quite plagiarism, I suppose, and I'm sure it will sell, so let's go for it.